They Fall Asleep
by Wingardium-Leviosar
Summary: When a pandemic erupts in both the muggle and magical world that is nigh-incurable, what can anyone do but cower in fear at their hidden enemy? Yet sometimes, the worst things bring out the best in people! Mostly Rose/Scorpious but lots of other NG matches too! Next generation Story following a group of friends through Hogwarts- Begins in first year, but jumps to fifth (I think)!
1. A Trains Ride Away

**A/N: **Hey Guys, this is my first Next generation Fan Fiction and I really hop you enjoy it! It begins in their first year for the first few chapters, but I plan to move them into sixth year asap, so I can get the story going how I intend! Anyway, I REALLY hope you enjoy it and REVIEW because I wrote this instead of revision so it should at least get something for its time-wasting quality! Please R&R and THANK YOU!

**Chapter 1**

**A Trains Ride away**

_**Albus Severus Potter POV**_

This was completely and utterly typical. The one day in my life that was truly important to me, and it was being ruined by none other than my idiot of a brother, James Sirius Potter. My worries however, having been diverted from the monstrosity of Thestrals, were now firmly focused once again on my brother's taunts.

"Dad, what if I'm in Slytherin?" I whispered to dad, hugging him tightly as I could. I didn't want to let go. Dad crouched down do our identical emerald eyes met.

Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I knew," Dad said, in a quiet soothing voice.

"But just _say-_"

"-then Slytherin house will have gained an excellent student, won't it?" Dad interrupted my whine sternly, but his words were comforting. "It doesn't matter to us Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?"

"It did for me," Said Dad, his eyes wistful behind his round glasses.

I paused, contemplating. If the hat gave dad a choice, was I safe from Slytherin house and James' eternal taunts? I looked up to see a great number of faces, both on the train and the platform, staring at me and Dad.

"Why are they all staring?" I demanded, as dad stood back up. Rose's head was craned around the train's open door, watching the eyes too.

"Don't let it worry you," Said Uncle Ron, grinning from his dizzying heights, brushing his Weasley Ginger hair from his forehead. "It's me. I'm extremely famous."

At this, and uncles Ron's ridiculous posing, I couldn't help but laugh nervously, even though my stomach felt as if it was being trampled by a wild pack of Hippogriffs! A whistle blew, and I hugged dad once more, before jumping onto the train with Rose, just in time for the door to slam behind me, leaving a pane of glass, distorting the world between my family and myself.

Another whistle blew and the train jerked into movement. I waved as we glided away from the platform and my smiling relatives, feeling much more reassured after talking to dad. I even smiled, forgetting all about James and his 'snake' remarks. The platform soon became no more than a dot on the horizon, before disappearing entirely as we turned a corner. Finally, I was only a train ride away from Hogwarts.

"Come on Al, let's find a carriage," Rose said, tugging on the back of my jumper. I nodded and followed my cousin's bobbing red head through the noisy, crowded corridors of the Hogwarts Express. Even in my family, I felt as if I was somewhat tall. Here, I felt like a house elf next to Hagrid's brother, Gwarp, as the older students pushed past us. Even now however, I noticed the wide eyes following Rose and I down the corridors.

"Why are they staring?" I demanded for the second time this morning. This time, I knew it wasn't Uncle Ron they were looking at.

"It's because you're a Potter. Just ignore them," Rose shrugged, stopping dead in front of a sliding door. "Come on, everywhere else is full."

She slid the door open, her robes swishing around her ankles as she stepped inside the compartment.

"Hello, is it okay if we join you?" Rose's voice echoed through what I thought was an empty carriage. I peered through the glass window to see a lone, skinny boy sitting in the corner, a thick book pulled up to his nose.

"Of-f Course," he stuttered nervously, lowering his book to reveal a large pair of horn rimmed glasses and a mop of messy, mousy brown hair.

I followed Rose into the carriage as she sat opposite the boy, sliding the door closed behind me.

"Thank you," Rose smiled, showing her toothy grin (minus the last baby tooth she'd proudly lost last week) as she sat. He, alike Rose was already in his brand new school robes, with not a button out of place.

"Not to worry," he smiled smally, his brown eyes belittled by his huge glasses.

"I'm Rose by the way, Rose Weasley, and this is-"

"HEY AL!" came a blood curdling familiar voice from the corridor, making all three of our heads swivel round to see James standing outside, flanked by my other cousins, Freddie and Louis. "Have fun- these are your final hours of being a part of this family! We'll disown you soon, Slytherin child!"

I swallowed my bile as James' cackling retreated down the corridor once again. The Hippogriffs, which had begun to clam into a reasonably subdued pack, now began to dance the conga through my insides, the last one stamping out a beat to the Macarena!

"Is he okay? He's gone awfully pale," the boy said, looking pointedly at me, but talking to Rose.

"AL-?"

"Gonna be sick!" I said, panicked. My hand shot to my mouth as a wave of nausea came over me once more- it seemed the Hippogriffs had taken flight! I really was going to be sick. As quick as I could, I barged past the boy's large book pile, sending heavy volumes flying, sticking my head out the open window and promptly throwing up over the side of the train.

Rose Weasley

I cringed as Al threw his head out of the window, chunks of yellow hitting the side of the train. The boy sighed, looking at his scattered books, but retreated once again behind his thick volume of _Hogwarts: A History by Bathilda Bagshot- updated by Terry Boot_. He read so quickly, it looked as if he was only skimming the pages.

"Do you actually read that fast?" I asked, after watching him read for several minutes, my thought accompanied by Albus' moans.

"You're conscious brain can take in up to 5000 words a minute, while your unconscious brain can process 20,000 words a minute-" he said, pushing his glasses back up his nose. I frowned at him, making him smile shyly. "Yes, I can actually read that quickly."

"Arugghhhhh," Albus moaned again from outside, his bout of sickness seemingly over as he hung from the train. I thanked Merlin the smell was taken away by the clear air outside, otherwise I'd be sick too. As much as I felt for Albus, he wasn't the only nervous first year on the train! It's not like I have to live up to anyone either, my mother being the smartest witch of her age and all!

"Is he usually like this?" the boy asked. I nodded, holding back a sigh as I watched my cousins black hair blow crazily in the wind- not that it ever sat straight anyway!

"Meet Albus."

"Okay. Well, anyway, my name is Sebastian Rochford," he said, waving awkwardly from his seat, making him look somewhat like a scarecrow for some reason. Al groaned again.

There was a knock on the door, followed promptly by a high, polite voice. "Excuse me, it is okay if—What on earth?!"

I looked up to see two girls with dark blonde hair looking slightly dumbstruck as they stood on the threshold of our compartment, watching Albus dangle out of the window precariously. I sighed, my pity overwhelming my irritation with my drama queen of a cousin. There was no way on earth Albus Severus Potter was ever going to make friends now.

"What in Merlin's name is he doing?" The taller of the two asked, looking overly concerned for the well being of my cousin. Her blue eyes were fixed on his dangling body, and it only just struck me he was in danger of falling off the train.

"Being sick," I sighed, pulling Albus back in by his Hand-Knitted-One-Of-A-Kind-Grandmum-Weasley Jumper. He looked slightly windswept and as pale as ever, but at least now he wasn't being sick.

"Surely a paper bag would be easier," the tall girl said, her eyes now falling on the books strewn across the floor. Albus, once again inside, finally found the source of the new voices, and suddenly became very red. His embarrassment only made this situation funnier.

"It would have, but then it would not have been unique to Albus." I smirked, enjoying watching Al's face turn beetroot red in front of the two new arrivals.

"Right, well, may we come in?" she asked, smiling tentatively. "We have sweeties."

"Well then, don't be shy, come on in," Albus smiled, finally finding his voice again in front of the pretty girl and her silent friend, who scooted in behind her.

"I'm Phoebe McLaggen, " The pretty blonde said, smiling to show her two dimples, her big blue eyes lighting up and completely dazzling Albus back into a pink cheeked silence. I doubted he'd be a terribly successful ladies man either. "And this is Charlotte Wood."

The other girl smiled shyly. Her freckled face was also hidden behind an identical pair of glasses to Sebastian's, and her blonde bun bobbed on her head as she cocked it to one side to smile. She was shorter than Phoebe, but not be much, with a rounder face and darker eyes. They were almost grey.

"I'm Rose Weasley. This idiot here is Albus and this is Sebastian," again, Sebastian did his little wave that reminded me of a scarecrow.

"Nice to meet you," Phoebe smiled. "So, Erm, may I ask why you where being sick?"

"Bad bacon butty," Albus muttered. I bit my lip to hold back my giggles at Albus' overwhelming red face- he looked like Uncle Charlie after one too many fire whiskeys!

"Really, I thought it was because of that boy's taunts." Sebastian said, his eyebrows meeting as he frowned at Albus.

"What boy?" Phoebe asked. I wasn't sure if Albus wanted this information divulged, but I had a feeling Phoebe (since glasses girl- Charlotte- hadn't said anything yet, I doubted she was overly curious) wouldn't give up without a satisfactory answer.

"He's Albus' older brother, James. He's been taunting all summer over how getting into Slytherin," I explained. Just the mention of Slytherin made Albus' Cardinal red colour drain from his cheeks. "But James doesn't know anything, and I'm sure he won't end up in Slytherin." I added firmly, even if only for Albus' benefit.

"Well, I'm sure Slytherin is a perfectly pleasant house, and that if you get into it you'll enjoy it very much," Phoebe said, coxing a small smile from Al.

"Actually, there is a 1-in-4 chance of getting into Slytherin, and that's without adding the personality factor into it. Also, throughout history of the Wizarding world, the house of Salazar Slytherin is notorious for bringing up and producing dark wizards. In fact, the first recorded dark wizard, Jacob Pervellion, was a young wizard from Slytherin house in the 1500's. He was known for magically torturing his female victims before strangling and eventually devouring them. In the muggle world, he was named 'Jack the Ripper' and was greatly feared by both the Wizarding and non-magic communities. In fact, some sources say his attacks first began at Hogwarts on the female students, but it was mistaken for rouge Thestrals. After that, it seems every dark wizard in history has been produced form this house, the last of whom was lord Voldermort, who was defeated 17 years ago. . Whether or not it is because physcopaths, sociopath's, narcissists, or sadists are put into this house or whether the only dark wizards that are recognised are from Slytherin due to our minds seeking patterns is unclear. However, some believe it is younger students living up to expectations set down by the rest of the community within Hogwarts that they must be evil, henceforth producing you dark wizards." I hadn't realised my mouth was hanging open until Sebastian stopped talking, and Albus once again groaned. I snapped it shut, for fear of catching Nargles, and looked over to my ill cousin.

"I don't think that helped much," Phoebe pointed out as Albus put his head in his hands.

"Sorry," Sebastian apologised, looking abashed.

"I'll never make it out alive!" he groaned.

"That is fascinating!" a new, rather well spoken voice gushed as Albus sank to the floor, his head between his knees, landing on another thick book. I looked to see Charlotte beaming at Sebastian, her grey eyes wide. "Where did you learn it?"

"Hogwarts: A History revised has most of it; however I did do some independent research on Hogwarts as a whole before coming. I thought I should know something about the school before actually going. You see-"and for the rest of the train ride, those two didn't shut up, much to both mine and Phoebe's shock, who divulged that Charlotte, also referring to be known as Charlie, was very shy. Albus however, threw up once more, despite mine and Phoebe's reassurance he wouldn't become a dark wizard (I shot Sebastian a warning glance before he corrected me otherwise) didn't seem to get much better. By the time it was time to put his robes on, I had exhausted all attempts to reassure my cousin and had finally retreated behind '_It's all about the swish and flick; a Basic Guide to Charms' by Fillius Flitwick. _All I could really do now was hope he didn't actually get put in Slytherin. Then all would be well.

**A/N: THANK YOU!** for reading the first chapter- If you like it please give me a review because If I don't get any feedback I will waste away and write no more! And you don't want that to happen now do you :P


	2. Beginning With A BAng

**A/N- **Helloo! Thank you for reading chapter one, and I regret to say this is a lot longer than I anticipated! However, I hope you can bear to get through it! I wanted to try and introduce all of the first years who will be mains, so I think most of them appear. Anyway, please R&R, I would really appreciate it!

**Chapter 2**

**Beginning with a Bang**

_**Rose Weasley POV**_

The platform was cold, and when I say cold, I mean wrap-yourself-in-your-robes and breath-like-a-dragon and hope-to-die-soon type of cold. All the first years were huddled around the huge form of our now elderly games keeper, Rubeus Hagrid.

"All firs' yer's 'ere?" he bellowed along the platform. When no tiny person came running from the blue, he turned to us and smiled through his bushy beard, his breath curling up into the dark to mingle with our own.

"Righ' then, Welcome t' Hogwarts! My name is Hagrid, 'nd I'll be takin' yer't' boats," her grinned toothily motioning with a dust-bin lid sized hand for us to follow him along the platform. The first years followed reluctantly who where all shivering from cold and nerves, yet I was unsure which suffered from which bone shaking notion.

"Rose, come on, let's go see Hagrid!" Albus said from my side, tugging on my robes. The cold had put some (healthy) colour back into his cheeks, and his green eyes were shining in the lamp light. We left our three train companions with a smile, and ran up to the front of the group.

"Hey Hagrid!" Albus waved from his house-elf height next to the giant.

"Albus, Rose, didn't see yer' there! How are yer'?" The friendly giant smiled down at us, his beard and untamed hair streaked with grey- Dad and Harry joked he'd turned into a silver fox, but I didn't quite know what they meant.

"Good thanks Hagrid. Mum said we'd been invited down for tea at some point," I beamed at our own BFG. Apparently, he'd been one of our parent's favourite teachers. I think that's probably because he let them get away with anything and probably because Hagrid's views on safety where slightly warped due to his love for huge, deadly monsters, but it had come in handy to mum and dad.

"Of cours' yer' have bin'!" he grinned, as he led us down a winding path lined by trees. "Wan't' know all yer' bin up t' in yer' firs' week, don't I?"

"What day shall we come then?" Albus asked.

"Erm, I've got few things t' do on't' Friday 'volving some centaurs, so how 'bout Thursday?" he said. We both nodded excitedly as we were led onto a long, white pebbled beach with many little boats sitting on the black water's edge.

"Righ! Four t' boat!" Hagrid bellowed, his voice echoing over the beach. We waved once again to our giant, our dinner date arranged, and headed to the nearest boat. The water was dark, but in the moonlight it shone, like it had crystallised skin, and reflect the boats back up at themselves, creating a mirror. I looked down into the water in amazement, only to see myself blocking my view, looking wide eyed and.. a little irked to find myself in the way!

Everyone began to scramble, and soon there were two boys standing in front of our boat, about to get in. My eyes met a pair of slate grey orbs, and I was completely frozen. The cold in them was so much harsher than the cold weather ever could be.

"I can't sit here," the grey eyed boy muttered, breaking eye contact and leaving both me and Albus astounded. He turned on his heel, and I watched as his blonde head stalked away.

"Mate! Mate! What are you doing?! Do you wanna sit with the giant?" his friend, a dark skinned boy with curly black hair shouted after him, running along the beach. "He'll sink the boat!"

"Well, that was interesting," Albus said, frowning at the retreating boys, his face not unlike James' when he watched Aunt Ginny retreat after telling him off for yet another reckless escapade!

"I think we just had the pleasure of meeting Scorpios Malfoy," I said, making no attempt to hide my sudden contempt for this boy, which now sat in my chest like a rock at the bottom of this huge, cold lake. Who was he, to think he could be so blooming rude?!

"Erm, excuse me, is this seat free?" Came a small, polite voice, emitting from a tiny red head, who stood in front of Phoebe. When I say tiny, I mean she was tiny! Lily, who was 9, would have stood a head and shoulders above this girl, whose dark red plait went all the way down her back.

"Of course we can, come on, in we get," Phoebe smiled, plonking herself in the seat next to Albus, whose cheeks flared up again. I smiled as the newer, younger girl got in, but didn't say anything in case it would come out tinted with the sarcasm and contempt reserved only for the rude blonde boy. I swallowed the bad tasting bile in my mouth as the boats lurked into movement, and we where off.

"So, where are Charlotte and Sebastian?" Albus asked Phoebe, pointedly, and I guessed, If I knew Albus like I thought I did, trying to stop himself doing something overly unique to Albus and embarrassing himself again.

"Oh, their discussing something to do with books and what they've read over the summer- something to do with Goblin Wars..."Phoebe shook her head sadly. "Honestly, what nerds. I'd be surprised if they ever made friends."

"Well, they seem to have each other," I smiled, thinking of the constant chatter on the train.

"Yes, it's nice actually. Charlie is... shy, to say the least. I mean, with other people she is. She's a lunatic once you get to know her, but I was surprised she even opened her mouth on the train," Phoebe mused, casting her eyes over the dark lake. From here I could see the whole of the grounds, the Whomping Willow, the fringes of the Forbidden Forest which remained unforbidden to almost every student who came to this school. You could even see the war memorial, where all the parents came once every year, to pay their respects to the dead. It is said that you can sometimes see the ghosts of the fallen dancing around it, rejoicing in the glory they never got to witness.

I snapped my head away, shuddering at the thought of a ghost feast. No one wanted to go to one of those, especially the ones with food.

"I'm so sorry, we didn't introduce ourselves," I said to the tiny red head who I had almost forgotten about. "I'm Rose, and this is Albus."

Albus gave a weird wave, before going back to talking with Phoebe. I was glad he had someone to keep his mind off the sorting, even if he did look a little bit like a star struck puppy as he hung off her every word.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Cressida Creevey," she smiled, showing a row of perfect, pearly teeth. Her blue eyes twinkled mischievously ever time she spoke, giving me a strange sense of déjà vu. It was like looking at a female, mini version of Uncle George. Her mouth, opened to say something, snapped shut as her eyes went wide. "Whoa!"

I spun around to see the sight I had craved most ever since my cousins turned 11, my first sight of Hogwarts. And my oh my, how my patience had been rewarded! The castle stood proudly, reconstructed perfectly after the war, shone like a jewel on the horizon. Every light seemed to be on, and its turrets spun into the starry sky like great stone giants casting their eyes to the skies. Nothing could have prepared me for this. It was amazing.

"Wow indeed," I smiled, awestruck as we glided closer to the castle, and a tall wall of stone that it was sitting on. I turned to grin at Albus, but noticed him looking slightly green again. The boats to pick up the pace slightly, and soon we were heading straight for the wall of solid stone.

"Are we supposed to be heading this way?" Phoebe asked, sounding anxious. Cressida simple leaned forward and began to grin. A small squeal escaped Phoebe's mouth just before the impact was about to hit, but... everything went dark for a moment and we were suddenly in a small anti chamber inside the stone wall.

"Oh, I love Magic," Phoebe sighed, looking relieved we hadn't smacked face first into a stone wall. I smiled as we pulled up in front of a long flight of stairs leading out of the chamber.

"Righ', head on up them stair' there, and yer'll' meet Professor Longbottom," Hagrid said, lifting himself out of the small boats and pointing up the stairwell. We all scrambled out the boats, managing to keep out feet dry, and all began to head up the steps, waving our Friendly giant goodbye until Thursday.

"Phoebe, Phoebe! Look who we met in the boats!" came the new voice of Charlie Wood from behind us, her glasses askew, dragging two boys along behind her. I spun on the slippery stairs, to see... Bump.

"Owch!" I moaned from the stairs where I had landed, my bum stinging, and cheeks burning as bright as a Gryffindor jersey.

"Are you alright?" asked an unfamiliar voice. I looked up to see the pair of grey orbs once again meeting my own, but there was no shot of cold this time. I scowled at the blonde, realising he had caught my arm as I fell.

"Fine!" I huffed, wrenching my arm from his grips and stood up, dusting off my robes, hanging my head in embarrassment. Way to make an Impression Rose! I did however, sneak a peek at the boys face- he looked momentarily hurt, but blinked and looked away quickly.

"You okay Rose?" Phoebe asked. I nodded, smiling weakly in my undeniable shame, before turning back to the two boys.

"Hey Scorp, Lucas, how you been?" she asked the two boys. Lucas, I presumed, was the dark haired boy who was trying hard not to laugh, and Scorpios was the rude/polite boy, which I decided made no sense at all.

"Better after just seeing that, funniest thing I've seen in a long time," Lucas giggled. I glared at him, the way I'd seen Grandmum Molly do to Uncle George when he'd done something stupid, which was all the time. I turned on my heel, more steadily this time and stalked away, followed by Cressida, who also had no idea who the boys were. We reached the top of the stairs where everyone else had congregated in front of a tall, slightly podgy wizard with a mop of dark hair and a set of deep magenta robes.

"All here then? Good!" he smiled. "My Name is Professor Longbottom, and I am the deputy head at Hogwarts school of Witch Craft and Wizardry. You are about to go into the sorting ceremony…"

He began a long-winded speech about each of the houses, to which most listened to raptly, but all I could focus on was the look on Albus' face as he listened. I watched him carefully from across the crowd, as he slowly became paler and paler, before turning than nasty shade of green again.

"Please wait here while I check if the sorting is ready for you." Professor Longbottom said, finishing his speech. He left the room through two huge doors from which a lot of noise was emitting.

"You know this sorting thing... we don't have to, battle anything huge do we?" Charlie asked, appearing at my side, nervously pushing her glasses back up her nose.

"Erm... I do remember my cousin, Freddie, saying something about a dragon, but, I think he was joking," I said, a wave of nausea washing over me as I remembered my dark haired cousin's vivid recollection of how he nearly lost his hand to a Hungarian Hornback...

"Bring it on!" Tiny Cressida grinned grimly, clutching her wand firmly, even though I was almost 100000% sure she had no idea what to do with it.

"Feisty midget," I muttered under her breath, looking at the slightly bemused Charlie.

"It's alright Rose, if it is a dragon, just stick it with the pointy end!" Charlie joked, making Cressida grin, and me feel slightly better. Before anymore could be said, Professor Longbottom had come back into the chamber.

"We're ready for you."

A hush fell over the chamber, as the first brave pair followed Professor Longbottom, followed reluctantly by the rest of the 11 year olds, who all split into two's. I fell into step with Cressida, who seemed to have steeled herself against a wild dragon appearance. Charlie managed to find Sebastian again, and I could hear Phoebe muttering reassurance to Albus, who was looking greener than ever- it seemed he made a friend after all. He spotted James making snake movements as we walked through the hall, and his eyes widened. Merlin curse that boy, he really didn't make things any easier!

We finally stopped at the front of the hall, in front of a long wooden table with adults in all the coloured robes of the rainbow. Hagrid was there, on the end, I noticed, the familiar face making me feel a little safer as the nervous shivering once again wrapped the 11 year olds in its clutches.

Professor Longbottom stood next to a hat, and the whole school seemed to hold its breath, looking at the shabby old hat. No sooner than I had given up looking, thinking the school to be mad, than a crease opened in the hat, creating what looked like a mouth.

"_Now welcome to another year, _

_Let Hogwarts school begin, _

_But before the feast, _

_Or cosy sleeps, _

_I, the Sorting Hat, must sing."_

There was a collective gasp of shock from the first years as the hat began to talk, but they listened intently to its unexpected song.

"_Now sorting has become quite a tradition, _

_At this age old school, _

_For houses that were made by those_

_1000 years ago._

_Gryffindor, the bravest one, looked at the new school,_

_And said 'I want the boldest ones, the one's who'll never lose!'_

_Then he looked at old Slytherin, _

_Who was sorting out rats tails, _

_And said "I want those ones whose blood is pure, _

_And whose cunning never fails."_

_It was Ravenclaw, wisest of all, who spoke up next. _

"_I want those who find all cures, _

_Whose intelligence is their best!"_

_Then Hufflepuff said:_

_I'll have the rest, and teach them all I know!_

_For kindness and compassion, is all I care to sow!"_

_So one by one, they got their wish, _

_As I sorted them into 4's_

_And took pupils under their wings, _

_And now you know why I, the sorting hat, am here to sing!"_

There was a huge outbreak of applause as the hat, once again fell silent, which didn't die down until Professor Longbottom held up his scroll. For the second time today I realised I was catching Nargles, and snapped my mouth shut- okay, a dragon I could believe, but a hat that made poems?!

"Abbot, Jeremy," he called once a new hush had fell on the school.

A small boy walked up the steps, and the hat, which fell over his nose, was placed on his head. There was a moment's pause, before the crease appeared again and the hat called:

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

A table full of yellow and black badges burst into enthusiastic applause as the boy ran happily to the cheering table.

"Is this all we have to do?" Cressida whispered as a Boot, Nancy walked up to that hat. "What happened to fighting a dragon?" She sounded almost disappointed.

"This isn't so bad, is it?" Albus said shakily from her side, as Nancy got sorted into Ravenclaw. I looked at Albus with pity, but also a little annoyance. Okay, so he had a family legacy to live up to, but at least he had a whole family there for him. Even James would accept him in the end, we all knew it- he just enjoyed making Al squirm.

"You will honestly be fine," the little red head said as Jasmine Denalini was sorted into Slytherin.

"Creevey, Cressida," Professor Longbottom called out. The little red head clamped her jaw down and stomped up to the hat as if she were leading a host into battle with the old leather poet. She sat on the chair and was almost eaten by the hat.

"I hope she's okay," Albus said smally as the tiny girls head disappeared. There was a moment of silence, before;

"SLYTHERIN!"

Cressida's head reappeared and she looked happier than anyone else in the world for being sorted into the dreaded house.

"Somehow, I think she'll be okay," I smiled as she skipped off to the cheering table, her long plait bouncing from shoulder to shoulder. Albus nodded, but was looking pale again- I made a mental note to buy him some of that redness-reduction paste Molly always put on her face to avoid an ever changing skin tone.

Alice Longbottom was sorted into Hufflepuff, to which her father smiled at. He then bent back over the scroll and read out the next name.

"Malfoy, Scorpios."

Silence fell on the great hall as the blonde walked shakily up to the hat, sitting down on the old stool. The hat was placed on his head, and slid down so he couldn't see anything.

The hat began to chatter away animatedly, as Scorpios blinked his grey orbs in surprise. The hat was talking to him. "SLYTHERIN!"

The hat called out, and it was taken of the boys head to show a shocked looking Scorpios- there was a moment of silence before the cheering began, and Scorpios slouched off to his new classmates table. I smirked to myself. Of course he would be a Slytherin, the rude, prejudiced, ungrateful-

"McLaggen, Phoebe."

My mental rant was put on hold as I watched the blonde walk up to the stool, her face flushing red as every pair of eyes fell on her. The hat was on her head for no longer then a millisecond, before it screamed:

"GRYFFINDOR!" across the hall. Still pink, Phoebe ran off to the red and gold clad table who were cheering enthusiastically, blushing as second years shook her hand in congratulations.

After Phoebe, Evanna Nott and Theodore Nott the second were both sorted into Ravenclaw, followed by Jacob Orion going into Hufflepuff.

"Potter, Albus- Severus." Was now called out by the professor. It echoed around the silent room. I gave the black haired boy a small shove and a supportive smile. Albus nervously walked up the stairs, trying not to trip. The hat was placed on his head, and immediately it began to natter away. My stomach was tying itself in knots for Albus. I knew there was no way on earth he would ever forget this, whichever house he went into.

The hat opened its mouth wide, but time slowed. Nothing was coming out! "Slytherin!"

Albus froze, Professor Longbottom froze, in fact, the whole great Hall froze. Even Freddie, who had stood on his bench, firework in hand, ready to cheer for his cousin, froze.

"WHOO! GO ALBUS!" I cheered from the small group of remaining first years, who all quickly followed suit. Soon, there was a scattered applause from the hall, Slytherin's quickly cheering for their new, unexpected house mate. Freddie had forgotten all about the firework, which was now sizzling in his hand and suddenly went off with a huge BANG!

Well, I thought, as Albus went and sat beside the blonde boy, Scorpios, At least his year began with a bang.

**Scorpios POV**

Sorting seemed to carry on for another year, even though it as only 10 minutes. After Albus, a Sarah Rockwood was sorted into Slytherin, and she came over, batting her eyelashes wildly at us. I tried to ignore her. The boy whom Albus had apparently shared a compartment with on the train was sorted into Ravenclaw, followed quickly by two Scamander twins, whom Albus knew well, where sorted into Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.

I watched the blonde running over to the Gryffindor table, starting as my eyes fell on who was next on the sorting stool.

"Hey, Albus, your cousin's being sorted," I said, nudging the black haired boy who was looking thoroughly downhearted. He lifted his head, his green eyes dull as he watched the wild hair of his cousin disappear beneath the rims of the hat. I wasn't going to lie to myself, I think I had made a quick enemy of the Weasley girl already, much to my displeasure, if her mother was anything to go by. On the train, I had made a pact with myself not to let history get in the way of the present. However, it seemed prejudices were difficult to forget, and making my rudeness up to this girl was going to be like pulling teeth from a Grindylow.

She was speedily sorted into a cheering Gryffindor.

"I'm glad she's there," Albus said, smiling smally as the red head was hugged by another blonde on the table. "Other than being such a know-it-all, I think it's where she belongs."

"Yeah, the sorting hat never makes mistakes," I smiled at him. Cressida, the little red head who hadn't shut up until Rose was on the stool, grinned from across the table at Albus.

"You do belong here Albus. You'd be unhappy anywhere else," she smiled at him impishly, as Charlotte Wood was sorted into Ravenclaw. Albus smiled back, looking more comforted.

"Yeah, you're right, I do belong here," he said confidently, as Lucas was swiftly sorted into Slytherin, and the cheering had died down, did the head Mistress, Professor McGonagall, stand up.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, or Welcome back if you're old," she said, smiling in a way that made me think she'd had too many rounds of butter beer. "Now, without further ado, let's, eat!"

And with a flick of her wand, food appeared. The students all dug in, now happy to munch and chat as they had been before the sorting. As much as I tried to smile, and chat with my new housemates, I couldn't help but feel a little flicker of disappointment sour the taste of the glorious meal- I had figured it would be easier to prove I wasn't my dad if I wasn't a Slytherin, or easier for other people to believe, but I was here now, and I had a feeling I would have it no were near as bad as Albus, who despite his initial disappointment, was laughing whole heartily with Lucas. Maybe he'd be a friend? Maybe, in the end, it would all be okay?

**A/N- **Thank you for reading- shall we recap on who got put where- you win a custard cream if you get them all right!

So...

Rose Weasley- Gryffindor  
Albus Severus Potter- Slytherin  
Scorpios Malfoy- Slytherin  
Lucas Zabini- Slytherin  
Sebastian Rotchforth- Ravenclaw  
Phoebe McLaggen- Gryffindor  
Charlotte Wood- Ravenclaw

and because they may feature later...

Lorcan Scamander- Ravenclaw  
Lysander Scamander- Gryffindor


	3. Brawls At Breakfast

**A/N- Own nothing but OC's- all rest left to JKR!**

**Chapter 3**

**Brawls at Breakfast**

**Scorpios POV**

After being woken up at almost the crack of dawn by Zabini's brain rattling snoring, I gave up on the thought of sleep all together, and, pulling my new Slytherin robes on, I headed down to the common room with a piece of parchment and a quill. I'd promised my mother I'd write to her as soon as I had the chance, and this seemed as good a time as any (even though not a lot seemed to have happened yet).

I dipped my quill in the ink and began to write.

_Hi Mum, Dad, _

_I had a spare moment this morning (thanks to Zabini's monstrous snoring) so thought I'd write to tell you I was sorted into Slytherin! I know, Grandfather will be proud, but, at least at first, I honestly thought I wasn't going to be put here. Be the first Malfoy not to be in Slytherin, but now, I'm actually okay with it. I mean, it's where I belong anyway. _

_Like I said, I'm in a dorm with Lucas Zabini, and, surprise surprise, Albus Severus Potter. I know, a Potter in Slytherin was not expected, but he's really cool and I think we're gonna be mates (so Dad, please, be civil! And no fire-whiskey!) But all in all, people seem to be accepting me pretty well! See dad, I told you there wasn't a reason to worry so much! Anyway, I've already made friends with loads of people who are all really nice, and I think I'm gonna like it here! _

_Anyway, see you at Christmas, _

_Scorpios_

I re-read my letter, and was surprised by how much I actually had to write about. I'd only been here a day, and it felt as if my life had been busier now than in the whole summer. I rolled it up and put it into my bag, meaning to go to the Owlery as soon as possible, when I heard a strange thumping noise behind me. I looked up to see the one and only Albus Severus Potter stomp down the stairs, his hair matted at one side, looking groggy.

"I swear, if Zabini makes as much noise when he's awake as he does when he's asleep, I'm gonna get Rosie to put a permanent silencing charm on him!" he moaned, dragging his bag behind him, which plonked down the stairs heavily behind him.

"I know what you mean mate," I said, remembering the urge I'd had to shove my socks in Lucas' mouth. "I think Goyle nearly did hex him, before remembering he couldn't."

Albus chuckled in the middle of a yawn, making him look like some demented gargoyle. "Breakfast?"

"Sounds good," I nodded, throwing my quill into my bag and following Albus through the wall and up to the great hall.

To my surprise, the hall was actually quite full considering how early it was, and I had already spotted about half the red head clan at the Gryffindor table, Rose's bright bushy hair standing out even among the crowd of gingers. We went and sat down at the Slytherin table where a familiar red head sat, her hair pushed out her face by a dark blue silk scarf.

"Sporting the wrong colours there aren't you Cressie?" Albus mocked, plonking himself next to the sleepy ginger, grabbing a piece of toast off her plate, getting himself a slap across the head.

"Never, Ever, Touch my food again Albus Severus, if you want to keep that daft empty head of yours," she glared at him, as he yelped from the slap.

"Warning taken, Ma'am," he said, still munching on the piece of toast, a grin on his face.

"How are you Cressida?" I asked, sitting opposite her and Albus.

"Annoyed," she said, slamming her pumpkin juice on the table, making her knife shake. "That Bloody Sarah Rockwood ran straight into the dorm, took the bed I was already sitting on because it had 'the best view' and then she kept everyone awake by chatting about how fabulous her summer was. Like I care?!"

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Lucas asked, coming and sitting next to me, looking completely refreshed like he'd had the best night's sleep in the world. He probably had, git!

"Girl stuff," Albus said through a mouthful of toast.

"More like self-centred wench stuff," Cressida grumbled, and explained all over again to Zabini, who gave her his full sympathy. I wasn't listening to the rest of it though, as I saw Rose rise from her table, and head toward us with a Phoebe McLaggen. I smiled as they came over, attempting to renew burned bridges, only blinking out of my daze when Albus let out a huge yelp of pain.

"What's was that for?!" The black haired boy demanded, looking at the fork prong marks left in his skin.

"I did warn you," Cressida said, smiling at Rose and Phoebe as they came over.

"Have you already tried to harass a witch Al, seriously, starting early aren't you?" Rose said, standing next to Zabini, rolling her eyes at her wounded cousin.

"More like she's harassing me!" Al cried, defending himself pitifully.

"What did you do, try to take her food?" Phoebe asked, trying not to laugh.

"Yes, he did," Cressida said, draining her pumpkin juice. Phoebe bit her lip, attempting to hold back a giggle.

"Anyway, can we sit?" Rose asked, and we nodded.

"Take a seat, my lady," Lucas said, budging my up even though there was enough room for 10 people next to him.

"Why thank you, good sir," Rose said, rolling her eyes at the half- Italian.

"Did she just roll her eyes at me?! I think she did!" He scoffed, making both the Gryffindor's smile smally at him- you could almost see Phoebe holding herself back from purposefully rolling her eyes.

"Have you guys got your timetables yet?" Rose asked, ignoring Zabini.

"Yeah," said Cressida, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket and handing it to Rose.

She scanned it, before grinning. "Oh great, look, you've got Defence Against the Dark arts with us first, we can go to class together!"

"Yay!" Albus said, sarcastically, still rubbing his inflamed hand.

"Rude!" Cressida said, pointing at him with her fork, which he eyed up, wary as it got closer to him.

"Have we got it with Ravenclaw too?" Phoebe asked, looking at the timetable over Rose's shoulder. "I want to make sure Charlie's settled in. She can be a bit... well, I want to make sure she's okay." Rose nodded, as Phoebe sent a worried glance over to the Ravenclaw table. I followed her glance to the end of the table, where the back of a blonde head could be seen, sitting alone while eating her breakfast.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Rose reassured Phoebe. I had met Charlotte Wood a few times, mostly when she was with Phoebe, but had never really heard her speak that much. I think she was shy really, but Phoebe said she was manic when you knew her. Apparently she'd accidentally burned down Mrs McLaggen's kitchen when she was 9... something to do with a fire Scamander...

"Well well, what have we got here?" came a sly grunt from behind me, making me turn to see two large, rather wide boys looming over us. They both had identical thick set frames, long, podgy faces with the same set of beady brown eyes glaring down at us first years. "Lions eating at the snake table- we can't have that now, can we, Kyle?"

"No, we can't Martin," the other sneered, his lip pulling over a set of yellowed teeth. I squinted at them, recognising the boys.

"Hey, aren't you Marcus Flint's boys?" I asked, naively. The one on the left turned their sneer on me as I realised my mistake. His eyes seemed to bulge as he took in my now shrinking figure.

"What's it to you, Malfoy?!" he demanded, seeming to grow even larger. At that precise moment, I lost my tongue, which seemed to please him greatly. His leering grin grew. "God, they let any old scum into the only pure house left."

His remark made the other chortle- in some ways, he resembled a cave troll.

"That explains why you're here then?!" Cressida's overly aggressive remark from the other side of the table turned the twins gaze to here.

"Why you stupid little firstie! You'd be better keeping that mouth shut or we'll-"

"What will you do Martin?" Came a new voice from behind the twins, making all heads turn to see Charlie standing behind them. Her hands where on her hips, and her glasses balanced on her head of curls. "Please, do tell me in detail what you intend to do to us unarmed first years with all these teachers watching."

The brother's faces fell as the Ravenclaw glared at them. Martin, the one on the left, took a step toward her, but was restrained carefully by his brother.

"We'll tell you Wood- we'll make you wish you never came over here- you can't hide behind teacher's robes forever. But for now, Lions aren't welcome here, so you lot better scat." Kyle warned, his ugly face sliding into a malicious smirk. Rose and Phoebe exchanged a glance, then reluctantly got up from their seats.

"See you guys in class," Rose muttered, before they scurried away like church mice.

"Crows aren't welcome either Wood!" Kyle spat, before looking up to the teachers table, sneering one last time at us and moving away. Everyone was silent until the brothers had retreated back to the other side of the hall where the older students sat. Then, a collective sigh was let out.

"Thank you to our petit Ravenclaw saviour- I thought I was troll food!" Lucas sighed, smiling at Charlie who had once again become as shy as usual.

"Yeah, cheer's Charlotte, I thought we were gonners," Albus said, keeping one eye on the other side of the table where the twins now sat. The girl smiled sheepishly, shrugging.

"It's okay- I know them, they've always been horrible! My brothers always had to stop them breaking my broom when I was little," she explained, shrugging.

"Well thanks Charlie, you're a life saver," I smiled, swallowing the bile in my throat from the very near miss with the fourth years.

"No worries- anyway, I had better go, or I'll be late," the Ravenclaw smiled, before disappearing back to the Ravenclaw table.

"We had better go too, I don't want to be late for my first ever lesson!" Cressie said, draining her cup. We all got up, decidedly taking the long route to the exit of the hall, passing the smiling Weasley/Potter clan at the Gryffindor table, who all looked sleepy. Albus skirted past James, just in case, but I think the 13 year old was too tired to make any Slytherin jokes this morning, thank Merlin.

We left the hall in a tense silence, heading for the first lesson of the day.

**James Potter POV**

Third year, I had decided, was to be my most successful year yet. It would be the year that I made my name, James Sirius Potter, known for more than just being son of a saviour. I t would be known throughout the wizarding world as Hogwarts Best Prankster. But with great power, came great expectations, so I needed a plan, a BIG plan, to start this year off with. And I knew the 2 guys who could help me do it. Louis and Freddie had been my partners in crime, and we even got ourselves known as the New Marauders by my dad, but at the moment, I had no idea where any of them where. In fact, the only reason I found them now was because it was lunch, and those guys never, ever, missed out on free food.

"What's happening boys?" I asked coming and sitting down next to Freddie, who was munching his way through what looked like his second helping of fish and chips.

"Would you like the long version, or the short one?" Freddie said, his face hard and very un-Freddie-ish.

"Merlin's soggy balls, you're not still annoyed you couldn't throw Albus through the portrait hole for the first time!" I said, rolling my eyes, thinking this mood was purely and simply down to Freddie upset he missed out on pranking my little brother on the first day.

"Well, yes, I am upset I missed out on that, but it's not just that!" Freddie huffed, dropping a chip back onto his plate glumly.

"What else then?" I asked, eyeing up the plate of food that was looking very neglected by my cousin.

Louis, who had finished his lunch what looked to be hours ago, rolled his eyes. "Freddie received a threat today from a pair of Slytherin's he pranked last year, whom didn't take it too well. Apparently they want to... what was it Freddie?"

"Feed my entrails to Thestrals, then give my body to the giant squid to pull limb from limb." He sighed, pushing the plate away, which I quickly began to steal from.

"Ah, and may I ask who these two Slytherin's are by any chance?" I asked, mouth full of glorious chips.

"The Flint brothers." Louis answered for him, as Freddie let out a groan, his head falling to the table, banging down painfully, making the second years start and look quizzically at the dark haired third year.

"Ah mate, you're dead meat!" I grinned, trying to joke. He just let out another groan.

"Oh come on Fred, you know those guys are s thick as two flobberworms stuck together- they're not clever enough to catch you, not to mention they're so fat they couldn't run after you if they tried!" Louis pointed out, trying to reassure Freddie.

"Yeah, but those guys know about curses that I couldn't even dream of! They're pure evil!" Freddie cried from his position on the table top.

"You've got a point, those two are particularly malicious!" I sighed, picking up another chip and popping it in my mouth. "So we'll have to do something about them."

"Like what James, run?!" Freddie asked.

"No, we'll have to get them first!" I grinned. Louis eyebrows rose, his blue eyes narrowing. Freddie lifted his head a little.

"it is plausible- they won't see it coming," Louis mused, smirking a little. I nodded, looking at Freddie, who didn't look quite so scared.

"What would we do?" he asked, sitting up, the little mischievous gleam back in his eye. I shrugged, taking another chip.

"Oh, I don't know yet, but it'll be something good, something they won't see coming." I smiled. Oh yes, this would defiantly be a year to remember.


	4. Got the Blues

**A/N: **hey guys, this is a bit short because I've had revisison, but hope you like it. Disclaimer, as I own nothing but OC's. please R&R, even if its saying you hate it! ;)

**Chapter 4**

**Got the Blues**

**Albus POV**

The hot sun beat down on my back as I walked down to the Quidditch pitch with my friends. We were all excited, well, most of us. Rose and Sebastian just looked worried, because it was our first ever official Flying lesson at Hogwarts.

I had a feeling that most of us heading down to the pitch already had a fair idea about how to fly, and I for one was feeling confident. At home, or at the burrow, we always used to play 'friendly' games of Quidditch, and ever since I was old enough, I insisted upon being put on a team. To be honest, I'm not sure how much help I ever was, considering one hit of a bludger probably would have killed me, but never the less, it was good fun.

"So, how exactly do you get brushes to fly?" Sebastian was asking as we wandered down a steep path from the castle. I could see the pitch now, with its huge bleachers covered in house colours. The Slytherin one stood out, silver embroidery skinning in the sun.

"First of all, they're not brushes," Lucas Zabini was explaining to the muggleborn. "And secondly, it's called magic. It's what we're here to study. What made all of this possible." He motioned around him to the school, then the pitches, then the forbidden forest (though I'm sure that would have been here, magic or no magic.)

"Oh, right, that makes sense now," Phoebe smirked as Lucas' clearly sassy attitude, rolling her eyes.

"Honestly Lucas, sometimes, I swear your Mariah Care reincarnated," Charlie said, laughing, her grey eyes lighting up as she also caught sight of the pitch. Over the past few days, she'd come out of her shell a little, and now actually smiled at us once in a while.

"Who... who is Mariah Carey?" Lucas asked, unsure whether to take the comment as a compliment or not.

"A diva," Charlie laughed, getting an exceptionally pointed bitch look from the half Italian, to which she just smirked.

"Okay, anyway, who here has flown before?" Scorpios asked, saving us all from a very sassy, bitchy retort from Lucas.

"I have," Charlie and Phoebe said together.

"We used to play 2 on 2 when Phoebe and Ollie came over as soon as we were old enough," Charlie said, pulling her blonde hair into a ponytail as we got closer to the pitch.

"Yeah, we tried to play before that, but one time Alistair missed a bludger and it flew straight into Charlie," Phoebe said, doing the same with her own hair to keep it out of her eyes while flying.

"Broke my arm," Charlie continued. "Mum went ballistic."

"And we're still not allowed to play with bludgers," Phoebe said, finishing the explanation, as we all rolled our eyes at them. They didn't even realise they did it, talk like one person. It was like their own little language.

"Merlin you two are complicated," Rose said, rolling her blue eyes at them.

"I've never flown," Scorpios said, making me do a double take.

"You're kidding?!" I said, not believing the blonde that had quickly become one of my best mates.

"No, my dad said he would give me his old broom whenever I wanted it, and that could ride it when I wanted, but I never saw the point, there was no one to play with, because he was always at work, and mum doesn't fly." Scorpios said, shrugging.

"Well, that makes 2 of us," Rose said, as she had never seen the appeal of flying round on a broom. She'd umpire for us instead, and make sure Lily and Hugo, who weren't allowed to play yet, didn't throw to many tantrums to annoy mum.

"3 actually," said Sebastian, "I'm a muggle-born; I've never flown in anything but a plane."

"What's a plane?" Zabini asked as we descended the final step and entered the Quidditch pitch, where a few other 1st years stood around, waiting for whoever was teaching us to arrival.

"It's a big muggle transporter that flies people to different countries in bulks," Sebastian explained, as we arrived at the crowd.

"Really?" Lucas said, enthralled, "So, what do they look like?"

While Sebastian tried to explain what different types of planes looked like to a reasonably dim-witted wizard, the rest of us mingled. Cressie, I noticed, stayed as far away from the Slytherin girls, who stood around, casting sly, mocking glances at the blond now and then. As much as I like being in Slytherin, some of the people really did need to catch up with the times. This wasn't my Grandma's time anymore.

"What's their problem," I said, walking up to the little red head.

"Oh, they'll be bitching about the way I told them if they didn't shut their mouth's last night I's hex them," she said, rolling her eyes. "Christ, I hate them, every time I try to go into the dorm, one of them is there, giggling like some daft muggle, and it's so annoying!"

"Just come up to our dorm, where a lot less giggly," I said, imagining Cressie coming into our dorm and threatening to hex us for giggling. That would make anyone giggle!

"Thanks for the offer, but I can't exactly sleep in your dorms," she said, sending another irritated glare at the now gossiping girls.

I was about to tell her that technically she could, just her mother and father might not be happy about it, when a tall guy with big forearms and sandy blonde hair strode onto the pitch, being followed by a neat line of old school brooms.

"Oh, my, God," Cressie breathed as she saw who was teaching us. "That's Oliver Wood! He was the best Keeper Puddlemoore ever had!"

"I know," I said. I looked over to Charlie, who was looking positively horror struck it was her father who was teaching the 1st years to fly this year.

"Okay kids," he said, his Scottish accent pooling into his words, making him sound even cooler than he looked in his long Quidditch robes. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wondered why Charlie didn't have a Scottish accent, but pushed it aside. "Gather round to hear, you girls, over here!"

The Slytherin girls, who had been giggling still, strode over in their own good time. I could see why Cressie found them annoying.

"Right, I am Professor Wood, but most people just call me Woodie, and yes, I have heard every innuendo possible to make about my name," he said, as some of the Gryffindor lad's grinned mischievously. Honestly, what 11 years olds knew these days! "Okay, I'd like you all to make two lines behind these brooms and we'll begin at the basics."

And with a blow of his whistle, the lesson began, and after having falls, tantrums, and some 'true moments of brilliance' as Woodie called them, the last broom was placed back safely on the ground. I was practically beaming all the way back to school as people decided whether or not flying was for them. Scorpios, who had been a little shaky at first, turned out to be a natural. Rose, who'd also been flown into by Jethro Goyle, pledged she'd never fly again. The real star of the day had been Charlie though, who out flew me every time. She was Woodie's daughter though, so he said nothing on the matter, but I did catch him smiling proudly as she caught the snitch for the third time in a row. Even though I knew she was an amazing flyer, I couldn't help feeling a little jealous. Secretly, I had been thinking I'd be miles better than everyone else from my entire summer worth of practise, but both Charlie and Phoebe had swept the floor with me. Even Lucas had managed to beat me at one point. But I was happy, and on such a rush, nothing could bring me down. Well, almost nothing.

We parted the other first years heading for our separate common rooms, and Cressie and Lucas began debating on what would be faster, a muggle plane or a broom, I began to hear something, like a chant, further down the corridor. I couldn't hear it properly, just the tune, but as we got closer to the dungeons, it became clear.

"'Ickle 'Ickle firsties, never will suspect, what Peeveies had for them next- Potty Potty Potter and his potty 'ickle friends never would guess, what peeves has for them next!" was chanted, followed by manic laughter from one Peeves the polyester ghost that wrecked more havoc at Hogwarts than my brother.

"Guys, I don't think-" But it was too late. Peeves had heard us, and seeing us, whooshed down, soaking us all in some thick black liquid, that was as cold as black, and attached itself to whatever it landed on. Lucas and Cressie cut off, squealing like little girls.

"Potty Potty Potter and His Potty Potty friends will never guess what Peeveies had in store for them next!" He cackled as we all gasped in shock. Some of it went in my mouth, and I knew what it was.

"INK!" I cried. Ink, or at least the stuff Peeves got hold of, stained like a bitch, and didn't come off for days. When he dropped ink pellets, someone would often have a blue splodge on them for days, but instead of a splodge, we would all be completely blue!

"PEEVES!" Cressie screamed after the cackling ghost! "I'M GONNA ILL YOU!"

"Poor 'ickle firsties. For ickle Albus, courtesy of Flintie twins!" The ghost cackled, before disappearing into a wall. A cold chill that had nothing to do with the blue ink ran down my spine. This was one thing that could ruin my high.

"GET BACK HERE PEEVES!" Cressie yelled at the wall he went through. "I'M GONNA TELL THE BLOODY BARON ABOUT THIS!"

There was a yelp from within the wall.

"I hate that ghost!" Lucas said, shaking his head, spraying the walls with ink.

Scorpios just looked at me, wiping ink out of his eyes. We shared one long look, both understanding what we had gotten ourselves in for. These two fourth years were not giving up on us that easily.

**Charlotte POV**

"-And that is how you make a cure for boils," I said, out load, rolling up my foot of parchment Professor Slughorn had set us for homework. I smiled happily to myself, and popped a chocolate frog Sebastian had given me open, as an award for finishing all my work. The library was full of working students, and I'd beaten them! Ha!

"I don't know how you two do it," Evanna Nott, my fellow Ravenclaw said, goggling at Seb and I, parchment and books placed around her as she rolled up her unfinished charms, putting in her bag. "How fast do you write, or have you got one of those Weasley quills that do what you tell it, but improve it for you. I always wanted one." She got up, waving as she left the table.

"No, it's because she's possessed by the ghost of Rowena Ravenclaw," the quick reply came from behind me as Cressie and our friends came towards us with their bags, all looking rather… blue?

"Does Rowena fancy channelling some of those brains to me then," Lucas said as the four Slytherin's sat down. I was right, they all looked blue. Like they'd been covered in blue paint. Not dark blue, but a light, baby blue hue, the same colour as the pygmy puff I'd had as a child.

"Erm, you've got something on your face," Seb pointed out to Cressie, as innocently as he could without laughing, earning a scowl from the feisty red head.

"Yes, well done," she said sarcastically, "And I thought you Ravenclaw's where meant to be intelligent."

Seb held his arms up as if to surrender. "Didn't mean anything by it."

"What happened to you lot?" I asked, eyeing up Scorpios, whose once blonde hair was now the same colour as Teddy Lupin's on a Monday morning.

"Peeves happened," Lucas said, "but on the plus side, I think I rather suit the whole smurf look!"

"Peeves didn't happen, the flint twins did," Albus said grimly, almost snapping his quill out of anger. I swallowed, first shocked.

"Those two? Seriously? I had no idea they had it in them!" I exclaimed, thinking back to when the malicious twis where last over with their family for diner- our fathers had mended burnt bridges a while ago, and they came for diner once in a while, which my brother and I dreaded.

"Mate, don't worry," Scorpios said as Cressie gave him a worried look, "I bet in a week they'll have moved onto another group of kids and will have forgotten all about us."

"If this stuff comes off in a week," Lucas pointed out, sneaking a look at Seb's finished essay.

"No, we won't!" Albus said, almost growling. "We won't because they are the same with Freddie and James- they pranked them last year and they've held the grudge, and now they've got one against us!"

There was an awkward silence where everyone sat, stewing in their own worry and fear of the first years who could easily hex them into oblivion at any time they wanted, which Seb broke eventually, after the scratching of quills was about to send me insane.

"Well, we could always confront them. Ask them why they've got such a problem with us," he said in his posh boy accent. Seb was Muggle-born, and one of the smartest, kindest boys I'd ever met, and he seemed to have become my best friend at this school, now Phoebe had made her own friends. "From what you're telling us, they have no means of a sound argument, because all we you guys did to offend them were having some Gryffindor's sit with you. I mean, what can they really do to us?"

"Throw more ink pellets at us," Cressie mumbled, pulling Basty's essay toward her. He watched as she scanned through it, but said nothing, smiling lightly.

"She has a point," Lucas said, agreeing with my sister.

"As does Basty," I said, looking at a very blue Albus (both appearance and mood). "But, if you don't think confrontation would work, why not write to your parents? Tell them what's going on. Or ask one of our siblings to sort them out? My brother's in 6th year and he hates those two! But whatever we do, we can1t tell a teacher- we'll just get called snitches and it'll be worse."

Albus looked up sharply, eyes hard.

"I refuse to be a snitch." He said firmly. "I think I was wrong. It'll blow over, like it did for James and Freddie. Anyway, what was the 3rd ingredient for this boil cure?"

I gave him my potions book, and that was the end of that. I ate the rest of my chocolate frog and studied the card. Professor Dumbledore smiled up at me, his blue eyes twinkling.

"What would you do?" I mused quietly, the rest of them not hearing. The old professor winked at me over his half-moon glasses. It was as if the old professor had heard me. Then he disappeared from the card, obviously having more important matters to deal with.


	5. A Distant Dream

**A/N: Sorry it's been a while guys, but I've had to write this between revising- hopefully the next one should be up shortly. please R&R x**

**Chapter 5**

**A Distant Dream**

**Phoebe POV **

_The moon was high and bright in the sky, casting everything in a warm, yellow glow that made the water ticking my feet look like liquid gold as it spread out in front of me, rippling in the slight breeze, which lifted my hair from my shoulders and neck. _

_I was dancing. Dancing, twisting, twirling, skipping, jumping, running, fluttering. Pulling? Or was I being pulled. I opened my eyes to see my friends, smiling and laughing in the golden light- they all seemed to be light up in their own separate colour, dancing along to the invisible beat, making a rainbow in the air, balancing out the gold with reds and blues and pinks and greens. I blinked, and my hands where grasped in front of me as I began to spin with this new partner. I blinked, seeing Charlie in front of my surrounded in an almost blinding white light creating a liquid halo around her corn silk hair. She was happy, laughing as we dancing in circles, her grey eyes wide and ecstatic._

_I blinked, opening my eyes again to see Rose had joined the circle, her own blazing blue aurora surrounding her. We continued to dance, our steps increasing in speed. I blinked, and Albus joined, surrounded by green. Another blink, and Scorpios was hanging off Rose's hand, laughing as his sea green halo mixed with Roses' own blue light. Another blink, and Lucas joined shrouded in a deep purple. Blink. Blink. Blink. Sebastian, Cressida, Lysander, all shrouded in rainbow light. Blink, blink, blink. Mum, dad, Ollie. As more and more of my friends and family joined the circle, the steps got quicker and quicker until the people and colours where nothing but blurs out of the corner of my eyes- they were so bright, and yet so beautiful. If I closed my eyes, I could still see them all dancing before me as we spun, faster and faster, painting a rainbow in the air. I laughed aloud, spinning faster, faster, faster. _

_And then I opened my eyes, and they were gone. The colours had faded, disappearing from sight. My steps stopped, my laughter echoing through the clearing. The gold light was the only thing which remained, dimmer than before, and getting darker with every passing second. _

_Where did they go? Where did everyone go? _

_I spun, this time panicking. Where was everyone?_

_Out of the corner of my eye, I swear I caught a glimpse of Albus green, disappearing into the shadowed corners of the clearing. I ran after it, my feet tender from the dancing. I had to catch them. I had to catch them. Panic flare up inside me, as I continued to run through the dark. I had to catch them- something was wrong. Something was wrong. Something was very very wrong. _

_I called out names. Mum. Dad. Ollie. Charlie. Rose. Seb. _

_There was no answer, but I kept running, the light fading, the moon almost disappearing. I ran, faster, faster, fater. Wait, was that Charlie? _

_I changed direction, searching for the hidden colours and lights. It was dark now, and I was alone. I ran and ran and ran and ran, never stopping, getting more panicky by the second as I called out everyone's names. Albus. Lucas. Scorpios. Cressida. _

_Eventually, I felt like I could run no faster, no further. I fell to my knees, landing in something warm, sickly sweet, sticky. I lifted my hand. Blood? _

_No._

_I looked up. Rising up in front of me, to my horror, were the dead, lifeless, bleeding bodies of my friends whom I had been dancing with less than a few minutes ago. Or was it hours? Or seconds? It could have been years or days, but now they where piled in front of me, their vibrant colours replaced by their sickly blood. Their bloated, black veined limbs, their bleeding eyes. _

_No._

_No._

_NO! _

_NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! _

_Once the first scream escaped my mouth I couldn't stop as I stared up at the pile of bodies. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. _

_I screamed, and screamed. An owl, black as night, landed on top of the bodies and began pecking at them. I screamed at it. _

_NO! _

_NO!_

_NO!_

_NO!_

_It looked up at me, it's big eyes red as my friends blood. It opened its beak. _

_Phoebe?_

_Phoebe! _

_PHOEBE! _

_PHOEBE! WAKE UP!_

"PHOEBE, PHOEBE, STOP SCREAMING! OH MY GOSH WAKE UP!"

I shot up, panting, coming face to face with four pale and panicky Gryffindor girls, all looking at me as if I'd turned into a ghost. I looked at their faces. Rose. Rose was here, she was alive. So was Marty. And Eva. And Alisha. It was just a dream. It was just a dream.

"Phoebe, Oh thank merlin, you're awake," Rose said from my side, her blue eyes wide and worried.

"What... What...?" I didn't seem to be able to think straight. I was still half in the dream, half here, yet when I tried to grasp where I was, or what I was doing, it slipped away like sand. I blinked up at my friends.

"Are you okay?" Marty asked, her black hair sticking up. If I wasn't terrified half out of my wits, I think I might have found it, but I felt as if my brain had been put in a deep fat fryer.

"I, yeah, what happened?" I asked, pushing my hair from my face, my breathing becoming more normal.

"You were screaming." Rose answered, still looking concerned, a motherly tint to her worry for me. For some reason, her face being here reassured me, though I was half expecting her to have a blue halo, or to drop down dead at any minute. I grabbed her arm, making sure she was here, with me, and not going anywhere.

"You're okay?!" I asked seriously, receiving funny looks from the rest of my dorm mates, but just a concerned, calculating one from Rose.

"I'm fine. I'm here, we all are, you where just having a bad dream," she said firmly, grasping my own arm with her thin fingers. The reassurance and the contact made me relax slightly.

"Yeah. It was just a dream. Just a dream," I told myself slowly. "Sorry guys."

"Don't worry. Try and get some sleep okay," Marty said, patting my leg in what appeared to be a hopefully reassuring gesture. I made my mouth stretch into a small smile, but it felt twisted, and bitter.

"Yeah, I will. Sorry for waking you," I said as everyone returned to their beds. Rose looked as if she was going to say something, as she lingered next to my bed, but in the end just gave me a smile and a squeeze, before returning to bed. I lay back down, waiting for everyone's breathing to return to the deep, low, sleepy rhythms as one by one, they drifted off into their own dream worlds. Rose was last to fall asleep, but eventually I heard her soft snoring from the bed next to mine.

Then I sat up, watching over my friends waiting for dawn, fresh and rosy fingered, to creep through the curtains.

**Rose POV **

After the sudden night terror's, I watched Phoebe carefully for most of the day. Other than her looking slightly more tired than usual, she seemed fine, but I couldn't shift the slightly off feeling I had about the whole situation, so, being the horrible snoopy person I was, I went to ask the only person I knew might understand the situation.

I found Charlie sitting in the library, reading an overly large volume about the origins of Quidditch while munching on a chocolate frog. Her curly blonde hair was even madder than mine, and her glasses slid down her nose. I wondered if she knew about Phoebe's dreams, and I almost chickened out but for the worry that had been niggling at the corner of my mind all day. I swallowed, put a worried smile on my face and walked over to the lone Ravenclaw.

"Hey Charlie," I smiled, making her look up from her book. She smiled, putting the chocolate frog card in the book and heaving it shut.

"Hey, Rose, how've you been?" she smiled, in her well spoken voice I hadn't quite gotten used to- it always surprised me she didn't have a Scottish accent like her father.

"Good thanks, how's your first week been?" I asked, trying to be polite before I asked her about, what could turn about to be a particularly sensitive subject.

"Manic, but I love it- Seb seems to enjoy the homework, and I say he's odd because of it. I mean, who enjoys homework? And another thing, the quidditch rule- why can't I try out for the team! They had to keep the second year rule even after your uncle became seeker in his first year-" she continued to talk about her week- it seemed she had come out of her shell while here, but before she finished her chatter about her favourite subject, glancing back down at her knee's.

"Sorry, I don't mean to go on." She muttered, grey eyes downcast.

"No, it's fine, I'm glad you're chatting to me." I smiled. "But actually, I wanted to ask you something about Phoebe."

Charlie's smile faltered ever so slightly, but she remained attentive and smiling.

"Shoot. What, will she not shut up?" Charlie laughed.

"No, she won't shut up, but I don't mind that. It's something else. I mean, last night, she had a nightmare," I said, watching her face carefully. To my disappointment, she didn't seem to be moved by the news in any way. There was no shock, nothing. "And I was just wondering if this was a recurring thing or whether it was a one off. I just want to make sure it's not the Flint's that are bothering her."

"Well, I've known Phoebe for years, and she's had the odd nightmare, but nothing out of the ordinary," she said, smiling.

"Okay, thanks." I smiled, glad there was nothing hugely wrong with the situation. "Well, I had better get going- I said I'd go with Albus to Hagrid's house for tea."

"Okay," she smiled, going back to her book. I got up, heading toward the door, missing the concerned look on Charlie's face as she watched me go.

Albus was waiting at the Gryffindor table when I got to tea after my last lesson of the day, arm in arm with a slightly more awake looking Phoebe now there was food on the go.

"Hey Rosie Posie," Albus yelled from among the throng of Weasley red hair. For some reason, I felt like I hadn't seen my family in ages, and welcomed the catch up.

"Hey Al," I smiled, sitting myself down between Albus and Roxanne, who was giving Freddie and earful.

"Seriously Freddie! You cannot do that!"Roxanne said, her long black hair swishing around her slim shoulder, framing her elegant ebony face. "I mean it, you do, and I swear to Merlin and his soggy underpants I will send a letter straight to our mother."

"Oo, Freddie, mommy will come and spank you," James laughed, ruffling Freddie's dark hair.

"Oh don't you think you're in the clear James! I'll send one to Aunt Ginny at the same time!" the fifth year threatened, wiping the grin from James face.

"What have they done this time?" I asked to no one in particular. Louis, who was sitting quietly next to his trouble making cousins rolled his eyes.

"They were making a plan to lure the Flint twins into the grasps of the giant squid, but Roxy found out, and apparently, as much as she hates those little 'sons of bitches', her words, not mine," the blonde added with a slight grin at his ear wigging cousin. "She doesn't want her baby cousins to be kicked onto the street by both the school and their family."

"Even though we wouldn't be kicked out," Freddie muttered into his steak and chips. Roxanne raised her eyebrows again, her fork poking near Freddie's face again.

"How are you so sure about that?" she asked, defiance in her face resembling my Aunt Angelina so much it scared me.

"Because we'd cover for them Roxy, and you know it," a familiar, check voice came from behind us. I turned to see Dominique grinning at us, her short, fiery red hair framing her cheeky, pixie face.

"Merline Dom, don't encourage the bastards-"

"Language Roxy!" Freddie interrupted. He was ignored by his older sister.

"-I have enough to deal with without having to cover with these three!" she finished as Dom sat down next to her, grabbing a pasta dish and dumping it on her plate.

"Honestly Roxy, don't worry, you're prospects of becoming head girl are not threatened by these idiots." She said, rolling her eyes, letting them land on Phoebe, who had been watching the whole ordeal with a light air of amusement.

"Well hello there, Albie, you got a girlfriend already?" Dominique teased, making Phoebe blush.

"I HAVE NOT!" Albus protested, before he realised quite what he was saying.

"Merlin, relax, it's not a bad thing to have a girlfriend. Well, it is at your age, but still..." Dominque continued to babble, introducing herself and Roxanne to my friend. The conversation began to flow more freely, or slightly less tensely than it had been when Roxy had been condemning my cousins.

I watched as they all fell into the old Weasley habits, chatting, laughing, generally being idiots in James and Freddie's case. I never realised with how busy my week had been, but I had missed my family, especially Dom and Roxy, being two of my favourite cousins because of how they were best friends and yet complete opposites. Roxy was a straight O student, a prefect, and in the running to become head girl when she got to seventh year. She was exactly like Victoire, except she was the chocolate version and Vic the vanilla. She was also stubborn, that she had in common with Dom, and a chaser on the quidditch team.

Dominique on the other hand was as much as a trouble maker as James and Freddie- in fact probably more so, she was just subtler about it. She was the mad man in the family actually, always game for anything. Mum said no good would come of it, but Dad and Uncle Freddie loved it- they said she was the most amusing toddler because she always got where she wasn't supposed to be. She still did in fact. If anyone could get something you needed, food, drinks, make up, books, anything, it was Dom.

"Hey, Rose, are you coming to Hagrid's tonight?" Albus asked, breaking through my mental jabber. I looked up, nodding.

"Yeah. I almost forgot, shall we go now?" I asked, pushing away my half eaten lasagne. My cousins nodded, and we waved goodbye to the rest of our family and Phoebe, who seemed quite comfortable there, heading to Hagrids for tea.


End file.
